Giving is the adornment for the hand; truth is the embellishment for the throat; good counsel (scriptures) is the enhancement to the ear; what is the use of (other) ornaments?

Commentary:

To look pretty, one may consider decking themselves up with necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, toe rings, finger rings, what else and what not! That is what is promoted (by the media) all around, in every which way possible. The poet opines that these are futile and worthless. The true adornments are totally different!

The true adornment for a hand is not a shiny bracelet, but the act of giving. Giving something to the needy, assisting someone in their hardships, extending a hand of assurance to someone in distress. The true act of giving is done in discretion. It is not advertised to the world with cameras, photos and pictures. It is done with no expectations in return either. That beautifies the hand.

The purpose of the throat or neck, is not to hang a sparkling necklace around! Truth is the true embellishment for the neck. How can one tell small white lies here and there, a couple big ones somewhere... and hope to achieve the eternal purpose of life, the quest for truth!! Speaking the truth always is the very purpose of having a voice.

Flashy ear rings may entice the eye from the outside. But the reason these sense organs were given to us were, to perceive the scriptures. Listen to good counsel and put to use. That enhances the both the presence and purpose of the ears.

Beauty is skin deep. External ornaments can only beautify so much. Beautify the soul from the inside with these true adornments and that lasts for ever.

Many a scriptures, minuscule a lifespan, ten million hurdles! Hence, understand the quintessence, like a swan (takes) milk from water.

Commentary:

There are multitudes of scriptures and books of knowledge. It is very difficult for one, to know and learn all of it. And there is no point in it either. Any knowledge or scripture that is just learnt, is not sufficient. It needs to be applied and put to use as well. With the limited lifespan one is bestowed with and the innumerous hurdles life throws at him, it is practically impossible to know everything that there is. Especially in today's world, bombarded with various modes of information and the world shrinking faster than ever, it is extremely hard to keep up.

Allegorically, a swan can separate milk from water and take just the milk! Similarly, the poet encourages one to get the gist of the knowledge than trying to dig into all the arenas and end up with nothing much in any field.

Consolidate your knowledge. Be selective about what and how many things you want to do in the given amount of time. Both the time and effort will prove to be productive.

One doesn't become a grown man because of his graying head. Those that are learned, even if young, are considered as the exalted wise by the Gods.

Commentary:

Age and maturity are not directly proportional always. One's maturity and learnedness are hence, not based upon the number of gray hair one has on his head. A youngster could be more learned and wiser than an old man with a ripe head full of gray hair.

The poet says that, even Gods accept this and revere the learned one. There are multitudes of such instances both in mythology and reality where a little boy has enlightened his elders.

Take the knowledge, whether it is coming from a little mouth or an elderly one. Revere the knowledge in them irrespective of their chronological number.

One who doesn't have his own intellectual insight, what can the scriptures do for him? What can a mirror do to one who is blind in the eyes?

Commentary:

To build a structure, the raw material available should be in favor for construction. If a pile of sand is all that there is, one can not expect to build a multi-storied monument with it. If one has no eyes, he cannot be expected to look at himself in a mirror, let alone the beauty of nature around him. If one has no aptitude and awakening within himself, the scriptures cannot help guide him in any which way! It is futile to invest energy and expect to change him because of all the rules that are drilled into his head. He has to exhaust his vaasanaas (behavioral tendencies, from previous experiences and births - as per shastra-s,) all by himself. One can only pray that he gets the prajnaa (intellectual awareness) soon enough, so that he can delve deeper into the scriptures once he has the necessary skill set to do so.

Pick your battles. Fundamentally, if it can't bear fruit, then there is no point fighting it!

Do not have the simplest way of being (demeanor). Go and see in the forest, the straight standing trees are felled and the crooked still stand!

Commentary:

This verse is not a call for learning crooked demeanor in any which way! It is mostly a call for the really simple and straight forward souls. They are the ones who generally bear the brunt of the evil and spiteful beings. The poet is giving them the example of the trees in the forest. It is easier to cut down a straight tree than a bent out crooked tree. So the woodcutters take the easiest route and chop down the straight trees. When it is more work, not many people bother to take the crooked tree. Similarly, if one is not too straight forward and knows how to stand up for himself, he won't get into as much trouble. The trouble makers consider themselves warned and keep a distance then.

It is like the sage told the snake that it is okay to hiss in his self defense, but not to hurt passers by. This demeanor is allowed to be used only in self defense and not to afflict pain on others.

An elephant is (restrained) with just an anvil, a horse is hit with the hand, a horned animal with a stick in hand, an evil doer with a sword in hand.

Commentary:

There is a restraint for everything and everyone. Only one needs to figure out the right thing for the right one. Tried and tested are some of the means.

An elephant is controlled by showing it an anvil. It is afraid of the pierce of the anvil and does as told.

A horse, heeds to patting with the hand by his master. He knows he has no choice but to heed.

Horned animals like cows, goats, etc are kept in line by brandishing a stick. They are afraid of the stick and they do not dare to wander away.

But an evil doer doesn't budge for any mild strategies. He should be stopped with a sword at hand, says the poet. This doesn't literally mean, pick up a sword - in today's world. But at the same time, it is also giving a 'go ahead', if an extreme step needs to be taken. One has to be strong enough to stand up for himself and for the values he believes in. If a wicked man wants to bring that down, he should do everything in his power to protect 'dharma'. So, this doesn't warrant one to fight for unjust reasons, just because it is in his favor :).

Apply the right tool for the right purpose. Can not take an axe to cut a finger nail! It is not justified nor does it make sense.

Pleased are the brahmins (priests) in food, peacocks in the roaring of the clouds (thunder), the noble in the abundance (prosperity) of others', (whereas) a wicked person in others' calamities.

Commentary:

A brahmin is considered to be fond of food. If he needs to be enticed, feeding him delicacies is the way.

Peacocks adore the clouds. They are so enthralled when it rains that, they spread their beautiful feathers and dance. The sounds of thunder are very appealing to them because it is a harbinger of the soon to come rains.

The noble are ever busy thinking about the welfare of others. Their efforts are also directed towards that purpose. When they see others happy, contented and in prosperity, the noble are blissful.

The wicked minded revel in the adversities of others. They spend all their mental energy in calculating how to afflict more trouble on everyone around them. When calamity strikes on others, they are completely enthralled.

"Empathy is the most radical of human emotions". Be emphatic to the others than rejoicing in their pain.

Excellence is attained through efficacy, not by clinging to a tall throne. Just by sitting on the pinnacle, can a crow transform into an eagle?

Commentary:

A 'great big throne' is only an indication or a representation of one's greatness. One's greatness comes from one's own vices and virtues. It is entirely upon oneself, what he makes his personality with. He could choose to keep more virtues than vices or visa-versa. But, it is foolish to think that anyone sitting on that throne will become great!

The metaphor given here is that of crow, who poses and sits on the pinnacle of a mountain and thinks he is an eagle! Eagle is deemed as the king of birds. He gets that title, not because he sits on the highest altitudes, but he carries with him the grace and the tenacity of a king. That qualifies him for the title. If a crow can imitate an eagle and sit on the apex of a tree, it won't instill in him, the rest of the qualities of the eagle.

Don't be carried away by the titles, they don't have much bearing when it comes to true excellence! The true excellent do not even care for the name of their designation!!

True knowledge does not stop at just giving knowledge to the person. It teaches him humility. Arrogance is an attribute of ignorant egos. True education fells the ego and humbles one. If this is not learnt, it is not 'education' in the first place, it is mere certification!

Once humility is learnt, recognition comes looking for him. Recognition doesn't necessarily mean that he will be on the newspaper one fine morning! People around him will respect him and recognize that he is learned. His humility paves way for that recognition.

This respect and recognition bring him a good position in the society and a well paying line of work, making him wealthy!

That wealth should be put to use for accomplishing virtuous deeds (dharma). True vidyaa teaches him not to misuse the wealth nor the authority he is given. Instead, it teaches him that, 'With great power comes great responsibility'. A responsible person would not indulge himself in non-meritorious actions.

By performing dharma, no one has ever suffered in pain! The conscience always directs the mind to do rightful deeds. When there is no internal conflict of ideas within one's own mind and intellect, the person is automatically happy!

Vidyaa is a link to happiness, step by step. Hence, happiness can not be achieved overnight. It needs patience and perseverance. True knowledge teaches that too!

Grass is light, cotton is more nimble than grass, a scrounger (yaachaka) is more insignificant than cotton. But why is he not blown away by wind? (Because wind) is (afraid) that he will solicit something from him (too)!

Commentary:Whether a person is valued or not, whether he is taken seriously or not, depends on his own values and vices. A person's significance comes from his conduct, not his possessions. One may accumulate multitudes of objects following the 'beg, borrow or steal' principle. That brings no respect to him. In the poet's opinion, a freeloader is more wretched and obsolete than a twig of grass or a speck of cotton! These two are so light that they are blown away by the smallest whiff of wind. Then shouldn't a borrower or a cadger, who is more insignificant than these, be carried away by the wind? Oh NO! Even the wind is apprehensive that the borrower might badger him into parting with something he wants!! That sure is petty :(.

Do not ever touch with (your) feet - fire, a teacher (guru), a brahmin (learned person), a cow, an unmarried girl, the elderly and a child too.

Commentary:

Reverence to others, is a part and parcel of the culture. It is depicted and practiced in many symbolic forms. Showing feet to others or touching others with one's feet have never been accepted as a symbol of respect or good mannerism. And the purpose of the feet were to make one mobile, not for disrespecting others. Especially for the elite few, it is even frowned upon.

Fire (agni) is the purest, noblest and grandest emblem of the supreme power. Agni is also one of the deities. There are other elements too. Why agni? Because, one can pollute air, water, sound, environment (which too are forms of God). But has anyone every heard of fire pollution! Fire by itself, is uncontaminated. Fire is a purifier too. Hence, reverence to the manifestation of the Supreme power in it's purest form, is upheld.

Guru is not just the teacher in the school. Mother and father are the primary gurus for a child. Anyone else who he meets along the way and learns a lesson or two from, would also be considered a guru. Reverence to all these teachers commands respect.

A brahmin is a symbol of learning. Whether he is one's guru or not, reverence is given to the knowledge in him.

A cow is considered as a mother of all world (गावो लोकस्य मातरः -gaavo lokasya maataraH). It is the most pious animal and hence a symbol of piety. Reverence to the cow is hence validated.

Women are worshiped and honored always. Even Gods are displeased when they are disrespected. An unmarried young girl is even more revered as she is a symbol of purity. Negligence towards her is unacceptable.

The elderly are the back bones of the society. Without them, their guidance and experience, the youngsters would be nowhere. They would have to start all over, from re-inventing fire, at every generation :). Their age and experience is always revered.

A child is as innocent as can be! A child under 5 yrs of age is even considered as closest to the Supreme power as can be. They know no malice and have no hatred. Their egos are undeveloped. That divinity in them is revered.

When once reverence is accepted towards these elite beings, how can they be disrespected by touching them with feet? Feet are the lowest of one's organs, do not offer them to the revered.

Keep your feet to yourself and keep thy manners! Be courteous and respectful of others.

A monkey who is drunk, in between stung by a scorpion, amidst all this invaded by ghosts - anything can happen!

Commentary:

To begin with, he is a monkey. Then he is given alcohol to make him tipsy. (Like he needs alcohol to get jumpy :). On top of it, he gets stung by a scorpion. As if these were not sufficient, there is an invasion of ghosts!! What can be expected but catastrophic chaos!!! No one can predict the outcome of such a situation and it will be different each time too!

This is a satire on the mind. The mind is very unstable already. What if it is provided with an ambiance to splurge on all of its whims and fancies? On top of it, it is provided with the means to fulfill them and no hurdles anywhere! Nobody to ask nor to question! What will be the outcome of such an individual. Just as the verse says, 'totally unpredictable' :).

Put a saddle on the mind and direct it in the right direction. Don't let it run wild and then repent when situations get out of hand.

Excessive anger, displeasing diction, poverty, enmity in kith and kin, company of the wretched and servitude of the lowly - these are the signs of being in hell, even when embodied (having a bodily form).

Commentary:

Whether there is a heaven or hell after life, but they certainly are - 'right here, right now,' when one is still living.

Excessive anger hurts oneself most, both physically and emotionally.

Unpleasant diction or harsh words are not appealing to anyone and others would avoid such a person.

Poverty is something that no one wishes for.

Enmity in one's own kith and kin agitates the mind so much that there is no peace in mind.

Company of the wretched not only hinders one's progress as a being, it spirals him down the ladder of morals and values too.

Servitude of the lowly is unpleasant because, one has to constantly fell his own faiths and beliefs, day in and day out, to please his master.

Under all these circumstances, life becomes living hell! (Don't have to wait for after life, to see it!!) One should get out of such situations as soon as he possibly can.

Heaven or hell, what we make of our lives is in our own hands. We can choose whether we want to make it merry or miserable!

Disrupting one's work in his absence, sweet spoken in his presence - shun such a friend as if, milk at the mouth of a pot of poison.

Commentary:

Because it is milk at the brim of a pot of poison, would one drink it? Would he be able to distill out just the milk and throw away the poison? Same is the case with a person who has sweet words to speak, but stabs in the back the first chance he gets. A person's character is all blended into one, just as the milk and poison in the example.

It could be a friend, a relative or a neighbor. He would be called a hypocrite and it is very hard to believe such people. Trust is the cornerstone for any relationship. Where there is no trust, no bond can hold ground. The poet says, for your own benefit, shun such people and stay away.

The clever read all the vedas and many a dharmashaastra (scriptures), do not know the aatmaa (soul), just as the ladle doesn't know the flavor of the food.

Commentary:

A clever person may be versatile in his knowledge about the vedic scriptures and dharma shaastraas. He may have memorized them all too. But if he has not understood or known the aatmaa, if he has never seen his self, all his knowledge is futile. A ladle is dipped and stirred in the food constantly. It is in contact with the food from the beginning of the cooking, till the minute it is served. But still, it has never enjoyed the flavors of the food that it assisted in cooking! Similar is the knowledge of scriptures associated with a person who has never experienced the aatmaa within himself.

Erudition in criticizing others, resolvelessness in one's own duties, hatred towards the meritorious - these 3 are paths towards trouble.

Commentary:

Eloquence and scholarship should be shown in appreciating an achievement, or in doing good to those around. Instead, if these faculties are applied for criticizing others, it is beneficial to neither the criticizer nor the criticized! It only brews hurtful feelings in both, causes a rift and brings more trouble in turn.

There are no compromises when it comes to one's duties. They have to be accomplished by oneself. If someone else did it for him, then it would not be called his duty in the first place :) Non-industriousness and laziness towards one's own duties, is an open invitation for trouble! If non-resolve didn't invite trouble, then it wouldn't be called duty to begin with :).

When in the company of meritorious and talented, the best thing to do is, learning from them and sharing opinions with them. Having an intellectual conversation with such people only adds to one's own knowledge base as well as value base. Instead, if he breeds contempt and hatred towards them, he not only hates the people, he would tend to hate their values too. Who is the loser by doing this? Isn't he getting himself in trouble by doing this?

Think about it. Is it really worth the effort to - gossip about others, procrastinate one's own duties or hate anyone, for that matter?

In a hundred a brave is born and in a thousand a scholar; in ten thousand an orator, does a giver (even) exist or not.

Commentary:

Not everyone born is brave enough to tackle all kinds of tasks. People have phobias ranging from claustrophobia(fear of enclosed small spaces), to hydrophobia(fear of water), to a simple tricadecaphobia (fear of # 13)! A very brave person, is one in a hundred.

Everyone gets educated, but a true scholar is found one in a thousand.

Oratory, is a skill in itself. One could be the most knowledgeable person, but when asked to present his ideas, he could become speechless! Not everyone has the talent for public speaking. One in ten thousand, is born a good orator.

But the poet suspects if a true giver is even born. A true giver is one who 'gives and forgets', without any prejudices. If such people are born so rarely, then, how can one write any statistics as to - one in how many is born :).

No one has ever become poor by giving! So, give. This is one verse where the poet would be pleased to be disproved :).

As the mind is so is the speech, as is the speech so is the action; there is uniformity in the mind, diction and action of the noble.

Commentary:

One may speak something, think something else and execute a whole other thing! There is no connection to what they think, say or do. It is very difficult to understand such people or predict their actions. Such people are not taken seriously nor are their opinions valued much by others. The trust-ability factor for them goes down drastically.

But the noble have uniformity in their thoughts, words and deeds. They think their actions through before acting and stick to them too. They speak in coherence with their actions. In such a person, one can trust that he will do as he says and he says as he thinks. There is no hypocrisy. That evenness in these 3 faculties makes them noble.

In reality, irrespective of being certified 'noble', such people lead a much more happier and peaceful life. Just keeps things simple for them as they do not have to keep track of 3 different things :). Life suddenly seems more straight forward and untangled. They are trusted better by others, that is a bonus!

(Just as) fragrance in a flower, oil in the sesame seeds, fire in the log, ghee in the milk, jaggery in the sugarcane, through wisdom, see the soul in the body.

Commentary:

We can see and touch a flower, but not its fragrance. The fragrance is only felt. When sesame seeds are held in the hand, the oil in them is presumed, not touched. A piece of wood has the potential to burn, the fire in it is assumed. Butter and ghee are blended in the milk. Although they are not visible separately in the milk, their presence is acknowledged. In the sugarcane, the sweetness of the jaggery is stored. Although it is not perceived to touch or sight, it is understood.

These were all perceived through deduction, using our knowledge and wisdom. Similarly, a soul in the body is perceived through one's intellect. That is the only way one can connect to oneself and to the Supreme self, eventually. No one has ever touched, seen, smelt, heard or tasted the soul literally. Yet, it is that very vital force of life that makes one alive! Without the presence of the soul in the body, one would be considered dead.

Hence, question not the presence of the soul, perceive it through wisdom!

What is the efficacy in showing virtue towards one's benefactor? The noble say that, he is great who can be virtuous to his tortfeasors too.

Commentary:

Being kind and courteous to one's benefactor is the easiest kind of deed. He did good to me, I'll do good to him too! What is the greatness in that? The virtuous deeds done by both, cancel each other out. But great is he who can over look the misgivings of another and yet, be nice and helpful to his wrong doers. That takes a lot more of one's greatness and generosity. He needs to be able to forget and forgive the wrong that was done to him. At the same time, he needs to be able to take a further step ahead to help the person that wronged him. When one is able to see past the misdeeds of the other, he belongs to a league of a different order instantaneously! The logic of 'a thorn is removed by a thorn' does not work in this case. His broadness of mind and greatness of virtue will have the ability to change the wrongdoer internally. Then, the thorn gets removed automatically, without having to use another thorn.

In dealing with money and riches, earning knowledge, eating and in conduct - he who is not shy prospers.

Commentary:

When one is in business, dealing with money and materials, he can not afford to be shy. He can't feel obligated to ask for money from his customers. Else, he will run into losses and his business will fall apart.

A person who is on a quest for knowledge can not permit himself to be shy. On the path of learning, it is natural to have many a questions. One needs to be bold to clarify his doubts. Like they say, 'Ask the question, you may feel stupid for a moment, if you don't, you will remain stupid for ever!" Shyness can not be pro-active towards learning.

When eating, one can not entertain shyness. He would have to say what he wants and what he doesn't. One may be able to accommodate and be wary for a day or two, but on a longer run, he is better off expressing his opinions.

One's conduct or approach towards people is very crucial for his progress in his career or in the society. He should be able to express his views, whims and fancies and ideas, as and when appropriate. If he is of bashful nature, he will not be able to present himself or his thoughts rightly.

Shyness in any of the above scenarios will not make a person happy. When he is not happy, he can not prosper.

Hence, pack your shyness up and speak up! There is no substitute for you!!

Between an evil doer and a snake, a snake is a blessing not an evil doer. A snake strikes in the course of time, an evil doer again and again.

Commentary:

Snake, whether poisonous or not, is one of the most feared animals. Everyone keeps away from it. But the verse says that even such a creature is still a blessing, when weighed against an evil doer (durjana)! The reason being that, a snake strikes in course of time, when it feels threatened, etc. But a durjana doesn't ever give a respite. He keeps striking back constantly, being a cause of pain and suffering for the other person. He doesn't even need a reason to inflict pain on others. He rejoices in others sorrow and hence keeps coming back again and again.

Food, sleep, fear and mating - these are equal in animals and humans. Virtue (dharma) alone is distinctive in them. (Those) devoid of dharma are equal to animals.

Commentary:

Eating when hungry, sleeping according to their biological clocks, fear when threatened, copulating for procreating - these traits are common to both animals and humans. So, how are we distinguishing ourselves? Just being robed and talking multiple languages do not qualify one to claim as species of a higher order! What sets humans apart is their ability to follow a path of virtue (dharma). Their intellect, paves way for them to think through the multitudes of paths they can take. A true human sticks to the one that qualifies as dharma. That ability of decision making in coherence of dharma, are what makes him human. Else, he would be showing the same traits as the rest of the beings, which are called animals. Hence, if one doesn't follow the path of virtue, he is as good as an animal!

The one faculty that sets us apart from other beings is dharma. Do not forgo that for any reason.

Knowledge in union with modesty, whose heart doesn't it steal? Gems in combination with gold entice the eyes of everyone.

Commentary:

Shiny gems and stones catch anyone's eye due to their luster. But they can't be worn by themselves. The gems need to be cut and shaped and embellished in gold so that they are readily wearable. Only when they are set in gold, do they stand out uniquely and appeal to the eyes of the beholder.

Similarly, it is not enough if one is just educated. Education has to be in union with modesty and humility in order to be appealing. Education with arrogance and no humility is just as raw diamonds. Although it is a so called precious gem, it is not valued the same as a well cut diamond. Chances are, it could even go unnoticed. Only those experienced in the field would identify the rock (here, his education). To the rest of the world, it is a useless piece of rock, unless cut and set.

Desire, anger, avarice, taste, eroticism, vehemence, too much sleep and overly tending - these 8 should be shunned by a student.

Commentary:

The sole goal of a student should be earning knowledge (vidyaa). In order to keep his focus on the goal, he should avoid disruptive situations with a vengeance. For that, a student should shun 8 undesirable situations.

Desire - deviates the goal and takes all the energy in the fulfillment of that desire.

Eroticism - has no place in a student's life. Indulgence and learning do not go hand in hand as they take the individual in completely opposite directions. No saying beyond that!

Vehemence - learning takes a lot of patience and thinking. Getting emotional and impatient is no where coherent with learning.

Over sleep - rest is required, but in the right proportions. Sleeping too much mars alertness and paves way for laziness. Losing precious time that could be utilized in learning is a whole other issue.

Overly tending - tending to elders and teachers is very much professed. But being overly subservient dispels one's ability to think on his own. One of the requirements for learning is inquisitiveness. A totally subservient learner takes every word for granted and does not promote independent thinking.

Beware of these 8 hurdles on the path of learning. Then you are already half way towards success!

Beings attain fruit as per their actions, actions conform to intellect. Thence, the intelligent noble, execute after reflection.

Commentary:Every action has a repercussion. These are the fruits of the actions. One's deeds dictate what kind of life he is going to lead now and for a long time to come. A person undertakes actions as per his intellect. But once the intellect is transformed into the deed, it can not be taken back. It will yield fruit, no matter what. The noble are aware of this fact. Hence, they apply their intellect and think their actions through, before putting them into action. Once the thoughts are set on the wheels of action, there is no stopping until the result is attained. In that case, isn't it smart to put them in the right direction?

From the tree of follies of the soul, these are the fruit for the beings - poverty, disease, suffering, restraint and adversity.

Commentary:

The fruit of one's actions have to be borne by oneself. There is no bypassing that. Every being comes to the world with his own baggage. He would have to unload it on his own account to attain mukti (liberation). Unfit deeds come as a baggage of unpleasant circumstances in one birth or another. They could show up as poverty and hardships, diseases and illnesses, pain and suffering, restraint and binding and/or vices and adversities.

When faced with such circumstances, the easiest and fastest way to overcome them, is living a life of dharma. Not only does this hasten the process of unloading, it also stops from accumulating more baggage and elongating the process of unloading eventually.

Hence, dharma (virtuous deeds) is a prescription for people with baggages of all shapes and sizes!

A person's conduct and composure give hints about his upbringing. A person's reaction to situations tells about his personality and his family background.

The way a person speaks gives clues about his country. He would speak a certain language or dialect, in a certain style and accent. That gives whereabouts about his mother land.

The expression on seeing another person speaks volumes about his affection towards him. When a near or dear one comes, the eyes light up with excitement. The same expression is not shown towards a 'not so dear' friend. The excitement is directly proportional to the fondness of the person.

A person's physical form declares his food habits. Like they say, 'you are what you eat'. The food consumed is what nurtures the body. Hence the body form gives away food habits.

Just as gold is tested through rubbing, cutting, heating and beating; so is a man examined on four (grounds) - liberality, character, efficacy (and) action.

Commentary:

Gold is the most malleable and ductile element. It can be beaten into the thinnest sheets or drawn to make the longest threads. It's luster is unique to itself too. A gold smith, who works day in and day out with the metal, checks for the authenticity of the gold brought to him. The way he does that, is by rubbing it against a rough stone. Real gold won't lose its shine or leave streaks. He even beats it, heats it and cuts it, in the process of evaluating it.

Similarly, the testing grounds for a person are his -

Liberality - how generous he is in his giving, could be his wealth, services or even compassion.

Character - his values and moral come under this umbrella.

Efficacy - his nature, temperment and attributes in general.

Action - deeds. Saying is one thing and doing is a whole other ball game.

If a king takes a tour of his country, he gets to see the state of affairs, first hand. It makes it easy for him to see which of the ranks is corrupt and which is sincere. He could take actions accordingly and make amends so that the country at large, benefits. A king who thinks about the welfare of his subjects is most certainly venerable.

When a brahmaNa (a learned man) takes a walk, he is doing his duty of spreading knowledge. It is his prime responsibility to educate the people and give them knowledge to face the different situations in life. So, he goes from place to place to do his duty. A dutiful brahmaNa is definitely honorable.

A yogI (ascetic) does not have any kind of possessions. If he is hungry, he goes from door to door, asking for food. In the process, if any householder has any spiritual questions, he answers them. He leads the householder in the right direction so that he leads a virtuous life. Hence, a wandering ascetic who is serving the society, is revered.

The last one, is a topic of controversy and concern. The first and foremost chore of the woman of the house is, providing moral, spiritual and physical stamina to her own family. She is the key role in shaping the most important and basic unit of the society - a family. When each family is shaped with care, the entire society automatically becomes refined and cultured. To execute her duties, she doesn't need to go anywhere! She has everyone right under her roof for that!! In today's society, women are working outside of home due to various reasons. This rule applies to such women too. Going out for their jobs - is not under scrutiny here. Especially those that work outside of their homes, have to do double duty and still deliver their duties at home. There is no substitute for their role as the lady of the house. They still have to nurture their children, instill strong values in them & cultivate good morals and ethics in the entire family. Last but not the least, she also has to nurture them with healthy and nutritious food which is the cornerstone for any kind of learning. These day to day chores take so much of her time that, she has no spare time at hand to wander off to some yonder land. Hence, if the lady is out on a stroll for no reason, some arena of her family and her duty is being affected.

In that case, how can the woman flourish and her family not perish? Hmm..., got to think about it...